When We Were Young
by MagicGirlinAMuggleWorld
Summary: Lily and James reconnect after a breakup. Unresolved issues. Muggle AU, one-shot.


When We Were Young

James lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling with his hands locked behind his head and his phone screen-down on his chest. Even though it hadn't received another text in the past three minutes, he thought he could feel the phone vibrating, warm against his bare skin.

Or maybe that was his heart, which was beating like he'd just run a mile. Or like he'd just seen a ghost.

In a way, he sort of _had_ seen a ghost. Because he'd long since stopped expecting her to text him, and now she had, with an old inside joke of theirs, as though nothing had changed.

Just two texts.

**_Adele means go home_**

**_ACTUALLY YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO HOME BUT YOU CAN'T STAY HERE_**

He hadn't heard from Lily in months. _Months_.

And now, drunk texts.

These specific drunk texts.

Ones that told him exactly where she was, because only one pub he knew of played Adele to signal the end of the night. Only one place they'd stumbled out of countless times, arm-in-arm, drunkenly wailing a ballad about lost love.

Hampton Arms.

And if Lily was leaving Hampton Arms at half-two in the morning, plastered enough to text James, she would definitely be looking for food. She'd always been a hungry drunk.

James sat up and tugged on his hair, thinking. There were only two nearby options for food this late, and Lily hated cheap pizza.

He pulled on a jumper and headed to Claridge Street.

He spotted her immediately when he walked into the late-night café. For a moment, everything around him seemed to dim and slow down, and she was the only thing in motion, as radiant as she'd ever been. A sparkly purple dress that he knew would complement her jewel-toned eyes. Pale cheeks flushed pink, probably from the alcohol. And that hair. Long and wavy, as deep red as maple leaves in autumn.

James' breath caught.

_You still look like a movie._

Lily ran a hand through that thick, red hair as she giggled at something Marlene was saying, and James wished he could do the same. Her laugh was music to his ears.

_You still sound like a song._

He didn't even realize he'd been walking towards her table until he was standing next to her, close enough to see the faint freckles across the bridge of her nose. He took a deep breath. "All right, Evans?"

Lily and Marlene turned to him as one, and their third companion, Dorcas Meadowes, let out a small gasp.

Her laughter cut off abruptly and Lily's eyes wide as a startled deer. "James?"

One corner of his mouth ticked up in a nervous smile. "Hello from the other side."

She used to find his corniness charming, whether she'd admit it or not. Now, she just gaped at him.

"What?"

He shrugged one shoulder and wiggled his phone at her. "Adele."

She blinked and took the phone, reading her own words with her mouth open in a tiny O. "Oh, my god. I didn't—I'd already forgotten I sent those."

"I'm not surprised." He chuckled awkwardly. "I knew as soon as I saw them you were probably drunk." He paused, the smile fading from his face. "Do you want me to leave?"

"What?" Lily exclaimed, clearly flustered. "No! I mean—I don't know."

Dorcas clutched Lily's arm supportively, and Marlene was eyeing James with suspicion. Lily's eyes darted between them, then back up to James' face with a look of uncertainty.

"I don't—I just—" she stammered. She bit her lip as if considering what she wanted to say. "Why are you here?"

James picked up his phone from the café table and shoved it in his pocket. He wasn't sure why he was there, honestly, except that he wanted to see her. He nearly always wanted to see her, and he'd learned not to act on those feelings. But he'd hoped that this time, the fact that she'd thought of him – even for a second, even whilst drinking – meant she might want to see him, too.

He missed her so much.

But he couldn't bring himself to say that, not while she looked so off-balance and her girlfriends were scowling at him like they thought he kicked puppies for laughs. So he shrugged, aiming for nonchalant. "You texted me."

"Drunk texts, obviously," Lily hissed, sliding out of the booth and standing in front of him. Marlene and Dorcas still wore matching accusatory expressions, and Lily's eyebrows were rising up her forehead like they always did when she thought he was being impossible.

_Good lord_, how James missed being the source of her irritation. He wanted to run his thumb over the crease in her forehead and promise he was taking her seriously, like he used to. He wanted to touch her face and watch the tension fade, even slightly.

He sighed and ruffled his hair instead.

"I know, I just thought—"

Lily interrupted him. "We're broken up," she said, folding her arms over her chest. "It's been almost a year."

For the first time, James noticed there was a note of hurt in her voice. The urge to touch her grew even stronger. His hand twitched as he moved to reach for her, then decided against it.

"I know," he repeated, holding her gaze, hoping she could tell that this wasn't some sort of game to him. "But I guess I thought…maybe you were remembering the good times. Reminiscing."

Lily bit her lip. James held his breath as her worried eyes studied his face. After a moment, she unclenched her jaw and un-furrowed her brow. "I guess, subconsciously, I sort of was," she admitted. She gave James a half-smile. "We had lots of good times."

James exhaled his relief, his lips curving up in a hesitant smile of his own. "We did," he agreed. He finally allowed himself to reach for her, just the tiniest bit. His fingers brushed the back of her hand, and he thought he saw her shiver. His smile grew with the hope in his heart.

"So, I guess that's why I'm here," he said softly. His fingers grazed hers again. "Maybe tonight we could just…remember the good times. Together."

...

AN: A little bit of angsty Jily! Not sure yet whether there will be more to this. Hope you like it, despite the bittersweetness of it all.


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